


Like a Gay Tarantella

by Angevon



Category: Persona 4
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Post-Game(s), Teddie Ships It, personasecretsanta17
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 22:59:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13133985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angevon/pseuds/Angevon
Summary: Souji returns to Inaba and spends some time at the Hanamura residence.





	Like a Gay Tarantella

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [Persona Secret Santa 2017](https://personasecretsanta2k17.tumblr.com/). My giftee was [booked-a-nook](https://booked-a-nook.tumblr.com/) on tumblr (or [booking-a-nook](https://booking-a-nook.tumblr.com/)), who requested Teddie being cute or souyo, and ended up getting Teddie-centric souyo fluff haha
> 
> The title comes from a line in the song [That's Amore](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tujMw1NeB-w) by Dean Martin.
> 
> A Yu Narukami version is available [here at Dreamwidth!](https://angevon.dreamwidth.org/49121.html)

"Seriously?!" Yosuke jumped out of his desk chair in excitement, nearly dropping his phone. He caught it with fumbling fingers then shoved it back to his ear. "You're visiting Inaba this weekend?"

"Yeah," said Souji on the other end. "Will you be able to pick me up at the station tomorrow evening?"

"Heck yeah! Not even a shift at Junes can stop me from being there. When will it be?"

Yosuke's ear burned from how close he held the phone to it as he listened intently to his boyfriend's travel plans. When Souji ended the call with a "See you soon," Yosuke stammered out, "M-miss you."

Even after the call ended, Yosuke held the phone to his ear, as if wishful thinking could bring Souji's voice back on the line. The call had been so short. Usually they'd talk for hours. But he knew his boyfriend had to start packing now if he was going to be here tomorrow.

_Tomorrow._

Teddie's blond head peeked around the corner of the room's doorframe. "Yosukeeee," he said, charging into the room a half-second later. "Was that Sensei? Your face is all red, it has to be Sensei!"

"Wh-what of it, bear?" Yosuke mumbled, blushing harder.

Teddie snatched the phone out of his hands before he could do anything about it. "Senseiiii," Teddie cried into it. He held it to his ear, then looked at the phone, shook it, and tried again. "Huh, he's not there. Yosuke, call him back! I want to hear his manly voice! The manly voice that makes your heart pound oh-so-much!"

"We don't need to call him back," Yosuke said, grabbing the phone and holding it over his head, just out of Teddie's reach. "He's going to be here tomorrow."

Teddie gasped and stars began to shine in his eyes. "Sensei will be here tomorrow?"

"Y-yeah," Yosuke said. "Just for the weekend, but..."

Teddie's big smile leveled up to 'huge.' "Oh, Yosuke, it's been ever so long since you've seen your hunny-bear."

"I told you not to call him that!"

Wait, that wasn't a smile on Teddie's face anymore—that was a smirk!

"Yosuke," Teddie said matter-of-factly. "It's vital that you impress him when he arrives!" He made a grand gesture, throwing his arms wide open. "I know just what to do to get your bearomones going!"

"I-I don't need your help," Yosuke protested. "Souji... he already likes me."

Though, the distance made it hard, and he always had his doubts...

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't look your beary best! Here," Teddie said. "Stand tall!"

He nudged a confused Yosuke into standing straighter.

"Now," Teddie went on, "puff out your chest, just like this!"

Teddie took a deep breath and was puffing his chest out in an exaggerated way.

"Like this," he wheezed, trying not to breathe out much air. "Stand tall and proud, like a man's man!"

"I don't think that's—"

"Oh!" Teddie suddenly let out all his breath as he distracted himself with another idea. "You should wear a suit."

"A suit?" Yosuke repeated. "I don't even have one. And even if I did I wouldn't..."

As high energy as always, Teddie was already ruffling through the closet. Or at least, what little of the closet he hadn't claimed as his own and was still used for clothing storage. "Ta~daaaaa~"

He emerged from the closet with one of the butler suits Souji had once given all the boys on the Investigation Team to wear for... fun? To fill some secret servant fetish? Yosuke never did figure that out. "I am not wearing that," he said flatly.

"With this you can sweep Sensei off his feet. Literally!"

"No," Yosuke said, shaking his head. " _This_ is what I'm going to wear."

He strode to the closet and picked out his favorite shirt.

"But Yosuke," Teddie whined, "you wear that all the time!"

"And that's exactly why I should wear it," Yosuke said. "Souji needs to know that I'm still me, you know? "

"You can't be anyone else, Yosuke. So why not dress up nice? At least pin a romantic rose to your breast!" Teddie toyed with the cloth rose attached to his fancy shirt, pulling it up towards his nose as if it had a smell. After a year of wearing it almost every day, it was honestly a surprise the rose hadn't torn off by now—especially considering all the trauma Teddie had put it through.

"I'll be fine," Yosuke said. "Besides, if I did anything different from normal, Souji would think something was up."

"But something _is_ up," Teddie said.

He paused dramatically, waiting for Yosuke to ask what. Yosuke sighed and gave in. "What's up, Ted?"

"Your heart rate whenever you think of Sensei!"

He followed it up with a 'badum tish.' Yosuke just rolled his eyes. He wanted to be annoyed, but in a way it was a relief that Teddie was so supportive of their relationship, even if he was so... _Teddie_ about it.

"All right, all right, Teddie, that's enough," he said, pushing the boy towards his closet. "We have a busy day tomorrow. Let's get ready for bed, okay?"

Teddie glanced back at him while being pushed. "I'm sure you'll have the sweetest, Sensei-est dreams tonight~~"

"You too," Yosuke said, and for once, Teddie didn't have a counter.

* * *

The next day, Yosuke waited with Teddie at the train station platform for Souji to arrive. Every other minute, Teddie would squint down the tracks and ask Yosuke if he could see the train.

"Calm down," Yosuke said. "It's not supposed to arrive for another half hour. We might as well sit down."

"What if it comes early?" Teddie asked.

Yosuke took a seat on a bench. "Nah, the trains run like clockwork. It can't get here early or else it'd be bad or people who need to get on."

Teddie glanced around the empty train station. "We aren't getting on."

"No, but like, someone could miss the train." Yosuke sighed. "Ah, nevermind! It makes more sense in a busier place."

"I just want Sensei to get here faster," Teddie said. He sat down next to Yosuke. "We haven't seen him in years!"

Yosuke couldn't help but smile at his exaggeration. It was only a month and three days, but it sure felt like years. Yosuke put his arm around Teddie comfortingly. "He'll be here soon. You just need to be patient."

"But Yosuke, you weren't patient! You made us leave the house so fast I didn't get to bring a Topsicle like I wanted!"

"You can have two when we get back home."

"Yay!" Teddie leaned into Yosuke happily. "One for me and one for Sensei! But none for you." He frowned for a second before nodding to himself. "You can share with Sensei."

"I sure can, Ted."

Teddie yawned and snuggled into Yosuke's side. "How much longer now?"

"I don't know," Yosuke said. "Twenty minutes?"

"Unbearably long," Teddie whined. He yawned again.

Yosuke yawned too and blinked the sleep out of his eyes. He felt Teddie's grip on his t-shirt slacken, and watched as his breathing became slower and steadier. He was falling asleep.

Yosuke looked down the tracks, wishing idly that he'd brought his headphones to listen to something while he waited. He could bring out his phone, but he didn't want to disturb Teddie. Instead he watched a trio of birds hopping along the tracks. Their happy chirps were almost musical, and the way they hopped it was like they were trying to avoid walking for some reason. He knew they could walk, he'd seen the same kind of birds at the Junes food court hauling ass like their little lives depended on it with stolen chips in their beaks. They had to be just playing around.

Then the birds suddenly flew away, clearing the tracks as the train pulled up.

Before Yosuke knew it, Souji was getting off the train. He was wearing a white dress shirt with the characteristic high collar and some dark gray pants. Yosuke smiled to himself, happy that he'd made the right choice in wearing the same as always, since Souji hadn't changed things up either.

Souji carried a small duffel bag over his shoulder, probably with a couple days' worth of clothes to wear for the weekend. He spied Yosuke immediately and headed his way.

Yosuke waved at him with his free hand as he approached. "Sorry," he said quietly. "I'd hug you but..."

Souji observed the way Teddie was using Yosuke's shoulder as a pillow. "I think I'm jealous," he said.

"Of Teddie?" Yosuke asked in an incredulous tone. "Well... he does have a better hairstyle than you."

"Well, now I'm just sad," Souji said, setting a hand on his hip. "We haven't seen each other in forever and the first thing you do is insult me."

"No, the first thing I said was that I was sorry I couldn't hug you! Weren't you listening?"

"We can still hug," Souji said.

Yosuke shook his head. "Nuh-uh, I am not doing a sitting hug. They're way too awkward."

Souji gauged the bench Yosuke and Teddie were on. "I wonder if I could hug both of you at once."

"You'd wake him up. Though I guess we'll have to wake him soon anyway." Yosuke looked down at the boy sleeping against him. "You know," he said in a whisper, "he probably didn't sleep much last night. Too excited to see you."

"What about you?" Souji asked in a teasing tone.

Yosuke didn't answer, but he felt his cheeks warm up anyway.

A moment later Teddie stirred from his dozing. He blinked a few times before registering that Souji was there, then leaped to his feet and tackled him in a hug that knocked him back a few steps.

"Oh Sensei I missed you so much you'll be so proud of me I can count to a hundred and there was a party and I made balloons and Nana-chan was there and—"

Souji laughed, patting him on the back and smiling fondly. "I missed you too, Teddie."

Teddie stepped back and beamed at Souji. Then he glanced at Yosuke and motioned at him.

"What?" said Yosuke.

"Your turn! Hug your honey-bear!"

Yosuke rubbed the back of his neck. "G-geez..."

"Don't be shy~"

Souji opened his arms and gave Yosuke an irresistible lost puppy look. Yosuke didn't throw himself into Souji's arms like Teddie had. He didn't have to. As soon as he was within hug distance Souji pulled him into a tight embrace.

And didn't let go for a good long moment. "Missed you," Souji murmured into his shoulder.

"Y-yeah... me too," Yosuke murmured back.

They drew back, only to be interrupted by Teddie:

"Now kiss!" he cried.

"Teddie!" Yosuke scolded.

Teddie stomped his feet on the train platform. "Kiss kiss kiss!"

"Oh my god." Yosuke rolled his eyes, but Souji was looking at him expectantly. Feeling a little lightheaded, all he could really do was go with it.

He planned to leave Souji a chaste kiss on the cheek but his partner had other ideas, redirecting his lips to his own and slotting their mouths together for a more lingering kiss. Though startled, Yosuke relaxed and let it happen. Souji needed this, and to be honest, so did he. Any insecurities he had regarding the long distance faded away. Souji really had missed him.

When they parted, Yosuke felt giddy and breathless and almost tried to kiss him again, but then he remembered they had an audience. They had to preserve what little innocence Teddie had left.

"A-ahem," Yosuke said, readjusting his collar. "Anyway, let's go home."

"Homeward bound!" Teddie lifted a fist into the air and led the way.

"Home?" Souji asked Yosuke while they were walking out of the station. "Teddie lives with you? I thought the TV World was his home now that it's safe."

"He gets too lonely there," Yosuke replied. "And he'll be the first to tell you: there aren't any Topsicles there. So, yeah, he still lives in my closet, for the most part."

"That's so nice of you, Yosuke," Souji said. "And your family too."

"He's charmed my mom, let me tell you. She's always bringing snacks home for him. And Dad, well, he's just happy to have another hard worker. Believe it or not, Teddie's reliable."

"I'm right here, Yosuke!" Teddie piped up. "I can hear every word."

"I'm giving you a compliment."

"A backhanded compliment," Souji said, "but still a compliment."

"I want a compliment from Sensei!" Teddie said, bouncing as he walked.

"You have beautiful eyes," Souji said.

"Uhh," said Yosuke. "Try something a little less superficial, partner."

"My eyes!" Teddie stopped in his tracks. He pointed up at the cloudless blue sky. "I grew them this way. Your world's sky was my inspiration!"

"If you could grow eyes," Souji said, rubbing his chin in thought, "why stop at two? You could've had a third eye, right in the middle of your forehead."

"D-don't give him ideas!" Yosuke protested.

"Oh, Sensei," Teddie said wistfully. "You know I just didn't think of that."

"Wait," Yosuke said. "If you grew your body, why do you have a belly button?"

"If he didn't have one," Souji said, "that'd be pretty weird."

"You kidding? That'd be the least weird thing about him. He already stands out like a sore thumb. He had a couple of foreigners speaking English at him last week, thinking he was one of them."

"I told them 'no comprende' ten times and they still wouldn't listen," Teddie said with a sigh.

"Maybe because that's not English."

"Arrivederci," Teddie said as they walked up to the Hanamura residence. "It means 'we're here.'"

"It does not!" Yosuke, long-suffering, shook his head in aggravation while he unlocked the door. "And that's not English either."

"C'est la vie," Teddie said with another sigh. "Yosuke just doesn't understand. It doesn't matter what you say, as long as it sounds cool and mysterious and foreign. That's the trick to capturing a maiden's heart! Though," he said, nudging Souji, "I suppose our Yosuke doesn't need any tricks when he has you."

"Wait," said Souji, "are you saying Yosuke isn't cool and mysterious and foreign?"

Yosuke turned a flat stare on his partner, who was feigning disappointment.

Souji added, "I want my heart back."

Yosuke ignored him by pushing the door open and going inside.

While they were changing their shoes at the entryway, Souji asked if Yosuke's parents were home.

Yosuke shook his head. "You couldn't have timed this trip any better, partner. Mom and Dad are out of town for some Junes corporate meeting. We have the house to ourselves tonight!" He paused. "Why do you look so disappointed?"

"I was hoping for some of your mom's cooking," Souji said.

"We have some!" Teddie said, dancing his way towards the kitchen. "In the fridgerator. Mama-mura's homemade recipes, made with motherly love and entirely too much cumin."

"Leftovers probably aren't the same, huh? I didn't really think about what you'd want to eat tonight." Yosuke considered the problem. "Aiya delivery? Though you probably have plenty of ramen shops in the city to go to."

"None of them can access the meat dimension," Souji said. "Aiya is fine."

"You got it," said Yosuke. He took out his phone and began to dial a number. "Anything in particular you want?"

"Whatever you get will be fine."

"Oh! Oh!" said Teddie, jumping up and down. "I want a pan-seared filet mignon with garlic and herb butter!"

"Where did that even come from?" Yosuke asked. "Have you been watching cooking shows with my mom?"

"I think Sensei could be an Iron Chef," Teddie said. "He can make a meal out of anything!"

"He might eat just about anything," Yosuke mused, "but he didn't come all this way to cook for us. Ted, could you quiet down for a sec while I order? Thanks."

"But I also want foie gras and truffles and caviar and—"

Souji gently tugged Teddie into another room to give Yosuke some peace. Yosuke sent him a grateful smile. He ordered enough food for the three of them plus some extra. From experience he knew Teddie would sometimes eat more than a normal person his size would eat, so it never hurt to have more. Worst case scenario, there'd be more leftovers in the fridge.

After placing the order, Yosuke joined the others in the living room. Teddie was in an armchair and Souji was leaning against the back of it, listening as the bear told some wild tale of his last shift at Junes. Souji laughed when Teddie got to the punchline, though Yosuke couldn't tell if it was actually funny or if he was just being polite.

"So, what do you want to do?" Yosuke asked, sauntering over. "Got some time before the food arrives."

"What do you normally do about now?" Souji asked.

"Oh, you know." Yosuke shrugged. "On a normal day, Teddie would be watching foreign dramas with my mom. That's probably where he learned all those foreign words. And I'd be in my room, relaxing a bit before doing some studying."

Yosuke waited, expecting a sarcastic joke about him actually studying—Chie had totally made fun of him for suddenly applying himself this year when he'd been so lax last year—but Souji looked proud to hear it.

And then Souji was smiling. "And by relax you mean listening to music," he said. He pulled something square and flat out of his duffel bag and handed it to Yosuke. "Here, this is for you."

"What is—oh my god, you didn't!" Yosuke held up the CD case to the light, drawing his fingers lovingly over the cover. "How did you _know,_ they don't sell this out here, where did you find it?"

"A little bear told me you were looking for this. There are plenty of record stores in the city. It only took three for me to find it."

"You went to all that effort just for me..." Without even realizing it, Yosuke sent Souji the most smoldering look he could manage.

"That's amore," said Teddie.

"It sure is," said Souji.

Yosuke shook his head to clear it. "C-come on," he complained. "I'm not... not ready to use words like that."

"But you'll tell him every other way," Teddie said. "Dressing up nice, or the same as always—I tried, Sensei, believe me I tried—setting a love song as his ringtone, calling him every night, sighing every time you think of him... It can be no other thing."

"An open and shut case," Souji said, nodding.

"Whose side are you on?" Yosuke crossed his arms.

"The side of love, clearly," Teddie said. He sighed dramatically. "If only I could find love as true."

"The problem is you're trying too hard, Ted," said Yosuke. "I mean, Souji and I, we kinda fell into it naturally."

"Best friends turned lovers, eh?" Teddie said. "A popular trope."

"I guess that's how it was," Yosuke said.

"That's exactly how it was," Souji said. He gave Yosuke a peck on the cheek. Yosuke found himself at a loss for words.

Fortunately a knock on the door meant he didn't need any. The food had arrived! After paying for the delivery, Yosuke took the food into the kitchen, and Souji and Teddie followed him there.

Teddie took a long sniff of the takeout beef bowls that Yosuke had set on the counter. "Ahhh, you ordered the good stuff! That's our Yosuke."

Yosuke pulled the croquettes out of the big paper bag and handed one to Souji, who looked confused. "Wait, these aren't from Aiya..."

"When I ordered from Aiya I asked Aika-chan to stop by Souzai Daigaku on the way over," Yosuke explained. "She's cool like that. For repeat customers, anyway. But don't worry about the details, just eat! You gotta be hungry after that long train ride, partner."

The croquettes were as tough as always, but that was part of their charm. When they moved onto the beef bowls, it became a little messy. Yosuke had long ago given up on telling Teddie not to slurp his noodles. Fortunately Souji took the broth stains on his dress shirt in good stride.

"I bet you really miss this delicious food, Sensei," Teddie said.

Souji, wearing a kind of pained smile, shook his head. "I do, but what I miss more is... this." He waved his hand indicating the three of them.

"Eating with all of us?" Yosuke guessed. "We'll have to get everyone together tomorrow, just like old times! Besides, you'll need to see Nanako-chan."

"Tomorrow," Souji agreed. "Today... it's you." He paused. "And Teddie, of course."

"Sensei..." Teddie said. "I feel so loved."

"Friendship is a type of amore too," Souji told him.

With a soft cry, Teddie gave him a big bear hug right around his waist. Souji patted his head and looked over at Yosuke. Their eyes caught, and Yosuke found his heart racing. Souji looked so happy...

After the meal and subsequent kitchen cleaning, they returned to the living room.

"Now what?" Yosuke asked.

"I'm as stuffed as a toy bear," Teddie said, "and ready to hi _bear_ nate! We should get wrapped up under the blankets and watch a movie."

"Sounds good to me," said Souji. "Who'll sit where?"

"Sensei in the center," Teddie demanded.

Smiling, Souji sat in the middle of the couch. Teddie immediately usurped his left side and cuddled close. After getting the DVD player set up, Yosuke sat at Souji's right. Not a second later Souji put an arm around him and pulled him close. Teddie grabbed a blanket from the floor and put it over the three of them, making it quite cozy. Yosuke found it a little confining, though—his leg kept bouncing under the blanket.

The movie had hardly started and Teddie was already snoring. "Just like this at the train station," Souji said, smiling fondly down at him. "He really was tired, huh..."

"Too much excitement," Yosuke said. "Though we barely did anything today. Or, _bear_ ly. It might be a food coma, that was a lot of food."

"Say, Yosuke..."

"Yeah, partner?"

"When we leave for college, what will happen to him?"

Yosuke blinked at him and took a moment to answer. "He can still live here, I guess. My family probably won't mind. He can keep my mom company while I'm gone."

"Well..." Souji said. By the hesitant way he said it, he had another idea in mind. "I know we haven't talked about it much, but... I was hoping we'd go to the same college. Or at least, go to college in the same city."

Yosuke froze. It was noticeable because his bouncing leg stilled under the blanket.

"So we could live together," Souji finished.

"You... are you serious?" Yosuke asked slowly.

"I'm always serious."

"You are not." There was a pause. "But... I believe you're serious now."

"I'm serious about you," Souji said. "So..." Under the blanket, he found Yosuke's hand and squeezed it. "If you're willing to try living with me..."

"Hell yes," Yosuke said, entwining their fingers and pressing hard into his side. "Damn," he mumbled into the cloth of Souji's shirt. "That'd be like a dream come true."

"You said you've been studying. I think you can make it to college."

"Yeah... I'm doing my best."

"I believe in you," Souji said firmly. "And even if college doesn't happen, we can still live together. I want to. This distance thing... it's so hard."

"Yeah," Yosuke admitted quietly. "It is."

Souji shifted a little, careful not to disturb Teddie, to get more comfortable and pull Yosuke even closer. Yosuke soon found the loving expression on his face a little too much to bear and looked away, pretending to focus on the movie that neither of them were watching.

He was happy, though... cuddling with his best friend, his partner, his... lover... and knowing he was happy too. If they lived together, this could be his everyday. Of course, they'd have bills to pay, and college classes to study for, and all that, so it wouldn't be easy, but...

"It's amore," he mumbled, hiding his face under the blanket.

He felt Souji kiss his hair, and he wanted to melt. Souji didn't stop there, kissing him again on his forehead, his temple, his nose, and then pushing the blanket down from his face to reach his lips.

Yosuke smiled into the kiss, his knees feeling weak even though he wasn't standing.

And when they parted, Souji was smiling in that way that made it seem like everything was all right in the world.

It faded a moment later. "Oh," said Souji. "You made me lose my train of thought there."

"It can wait," Yosuke said, running his tongue over his lips in anticipation of more smooching.

Souji shook his head. "It's about Teddie."

Hearing his name, Teddie stirred against his side. They watched him carefully, but he remained asleep.

"Yeah?" Yosuke asked, matching his quiet voice.

"I was thinking... he could live with us too."

Yosuke chuckled. "He'd love that. Seeing his sensei everyday."

"I'm serious," said Souji. "They say three's a crowd, but... spending this evening here with both of you. It feels... like we're a family."

Yosuke felt him shift again on the couch, this time resettling Teddie at his side.

"The little brother I never had," Yosuke said.

"You still let him live with you, even though you don't have to," Souji said. "I can tell you care about him."

"He is family," Yosuke said simply.

"So... we'll be family."

"Yeah."

This time, Souji leaned into him.


End file.
